"You have such a curious set of arguments as I never heard. You are for ever talking about the fall of Adam, which you seem to fancy accounts for the falls and slips of you and me. I never knew Adam, I am sure, and I don't hold myself responsible for his taste in apples. How do you know that Adam 'fell,' as you are pleased to call it? And supposing that he did, what in the name of common sense has that to do with me?" "It has more to do with you than you think for, Mr. Philip. As Christ is the Head of His saved Church, so is Adam the head of the whole family of man. 'In Adam all die.'[11] And as to knowing that Adam fell, to say nought of the Lord's record of it, I scarce think I need more evidence of that than your doubting it, Sir. If you can look upon this world, as it is at this moment, and doubt that man is a fallen, lost, ruined, miserable creature, there must be something sore wrong with the eyes of your understanding." "Or of yours," suggested Philip. "Oh, I see evil enough in the world, I warrant you: but I see good along with it. Now the principle you are fond of laying down is according to a text which I think you have quoted to me twenty times--'In us dwelleth no good thing.'"[12] "I wish you thought so, Mr. Philip." "Thank you for wishing me such an agreeable view of myself. But while you are fixing your eyes intently on all the evil in the world, you leave the good unseen." "Would you kindly point it out to me, Sir?" "Willingly. Take only one point. There are hosts of people in the world--Catholics and others, even Mahometans and idolaters, I dare say--whom you would consign kindly and certainly to everlasting perdition"-- "I consign no man to perdition, Sir. The keys of hell and of death are not in my hands, thank God! But I read of 'the son of perdition,'[13] who went to his own place.'"[14] "Well, among all these very wicked people, there is a vast deal of charity. Is that good or bad?" "Charity is good, Sir," said Patient, cautiously. "Paul would have counted himself nothing worth if he had not charity.[15] But"-- "Then they are good for indulging it?" interrupted Philip. "Sir, 'charity' is a much misused word. You are speaking of mere alms, the which are good for them that receive them, if they use them rightly; and good for them that give them, when given in a right spirit. But these are no more evidence of a man's standing before God"-- "Patient Irvine, have you read the Twenty-fifth chapter of Saint Matthew?" "I have read the Twenty-fifth of Matthew, Sir," answered Patient, dryly, leaving out the "Saint." "And are not the good people commended in that chapter, and do they not obtain everlasting life, simply and solely for their charity to the poor?" "No, Sir," said Patient, placidly. "Well, upon my word!" exclaimed Philip.